Soviet Research Order of the Red Banner Nr. 114.934

[Gerd Becker]

Today came a pack of research. This was part of it, research to an early Red Banner on suspension. I was fortunate to get the Service Record with this one too.

Ok, here is the piece in question:

[Gerd Becker]

The award card obverse:

[Gerd Becker]

The reverse shows, our receipient (don?t dare to post my translation of the name) also got an Order of Lenin Nr. 26620 and a Medal Victory over Germany.

[Gerd Becker]

Now the citation looks more like a Long Service Citation for an Order of Lenin, is that true?

Obverse:

[Gerd Becker]

Reverse of the citation

[Gerd Becker]

Obverse of the Service Record

[Gerd Becker]

Reverse Part one

[Gerd Becker]

Reverse Part two

[Gerd Becker]

And lastly a picture of our Comrade

[Alfred]

Hello Gerd,

both dates 21.02.1945 (Lenin) and the 03.11.1944 (Red Banner) are dates were Long Service Awards were awarded.

And as on the award card in the last column for both awards a UKAZ is mentioned and not a military unit they are Long Service Awards. Sorry Gerd no interesting citation, good for my database

114.934 is the earliest Red Banner for long service in my database.

1. Last name: Filenius ?

2. first name: Walentin, Akseljewitsch ?

3. rang:

4. sex: male

5. year of birth: 1901

6. place of bith:

7. party member: 1941

8. education:

9. nationality: russian

10. in the Red Army since: 7/1919

sorry Gerd no better translation

regards

Andreas

Edited August 12, 2006 by Alfred

[Digger Doug]

Lieutenant Colonel Valentin Akselevich Filenius was in the medical service. In addition to the Victory Over Germany, he also got the Victory Over Japan (mentioned on his record card). Looks like he had an interesting career.

[Paul R]

Lieutenant Colonel Valentin Akselevich Filenius was in the medical service. In addition to the Victory Over Germany, he also got the Victory Over Japan (mentioned on his record card). Looks like he had an interesting career.

Thank you for posting the grouping, Gerd! I did not know that service and campaign medals were recorded in the record card as well!!

[Guest Rick Research]

Only as of when the ARC was filled out, Paul.

That is indeed his generic citation (what a great guy! and a Communist, too!) for a long service Lenin, which notes on the back that he had just received the long service Red Banner. There probably WAS no "citation" for the Red Banner in his file.

I'll fill this in as I can--

Valentin Akselevich Filenius, born 29 March 1901 in the island fortress city of Kronshstadt, Leningrad Oblast,

Red Army since July 1919, CPSU member 4,109,552 since 1941, attended Male Gymnasium of Kronshtadt to 7th Class in 1918. Graduate (certificate number 6790) of the Military Medical Academy in Leningrad, 1926 and a doctor of ears, nose, and throat specialties. Wife Galina Petrovna b 1906, daughter Adeliya b. 1930.

Military Doctor 2nd Rank 14.8.36 ((( = Major ??)))

Military Doctor 1st Rank 8.1.41 ((( = Lieutenant Colonel ??)))

Lieutenant Colonel of Medical Service 23.8.43

Highest rank Colonel of Medical Service 14.8.44, still on active duty 1948 (jubilee medal), and had been Commander of Evacuation Hospital 325 in the city of Irkutsk for the entire war.

February 1919: Clerk at the Kronshtadt Workers Cooperative

August 1919 Red Army Private, city of Kronshtadt Guard (as in sentry) Regiment

December 1919 Student at Military Medical Academy, city of Leningrad

March 1920 Junior Disinfector (((hey, I just READ what it says!))) at Central red Army Military Hospital

August 1920 Student at Military Medical Academy, city of Leningrad

July 1926 Junior Intern at 1st Moscow "Communist" Military Hospital

December 1927 Junior Doctor, 108th "Beloretsky" Rifles Regiment, Siberian Military District

July 1928 Junior Intern and Doctor of Otolaryngology at Irkutsk Military Hospital, Transbaikal Military District

1930 took 4 months course of improvemnet at Military Medical Academy, vity of Leningrad: for disesases of the ears, throat, and nose

May 1931 Senior intern, doctor of otolaryngology at Irkutsk Military Hospital

June 1933 Commander of a medical department at Irkutsk Military Hospital, Transbaikal Military District

May 1938 Deputy Commander of the hospital for medical units, as above

December 1841 Commander of Hospital, as above (((obviously numbered at some point during the war)))

April 1947 Deputy Commander of the hospital for adm(inistrative?) medical units, 325th District Military Hospital, as above

January 1948 at disposal of the Commander of Military Forces, Eastern Siberian Military District

To reserves 30.4.48 per paragraph 43 ("sickness") with permission to wear military uniform with shoulder boards

May 1948 Assistant "Lor" (???????) Clinic, doctor of otolaryngology at Irkutsk State Medical Institute.

In scan 7, box 34 reports (with some incredulity, one can only sense in the clerk wondering "how could ANYBODY have escaped getting into trouble????") that he had NEVER had judgements against him, been in captivity, suffered "repressions" nor been over the state borders of the USSR. Suspciously squeaky clean, wasn't he?

Discharge for "sickness" is so obviously false-- we see it so many times, and here he is, right back on medical (now civilian) duty instantly-- that this can only have been a pension dodge (perhaps a fiddle for extra minimal privileges?) on Reduction In Force retirements. I am also amazed at his listing of the 1948 Jubilee, since he was OUT so immediately after the anniversary date-- and most actual bestowals were MANY months afterwards.

[Gerd Becker]

Thank you very much, Gentlemen. So he was a Medical Officer, most interesting.

Andreas, because of the low number, i though, its NOT a Long Service award. Glad i can supply the earliest LS-ORB for your Database though

Gerd

Edited August 14, 2006 by Gerd Becker

[Guest Rick Research]

My data base pinned here has 113,368 as a 3 November 1944 long service award.

[Paul R]

Rick,

Thank you for filling in the blanks.

This is the first medical officer documentation I have seen! That really stinks that he was forced to be discharged... right before becoming eligible to receive his pension benefits!

[Eric Gaumann]

What a long strange trip.....from Siberia to Florida and then to Gerd in Germany.

Some ORBs get around it seems.

Congrats Gerd! And a Lenin holder no less.

[Guest Rick Research]

No Paul, the other way around. He had more than his 20 minimum in. I suspect being discharged for "medical" reasons may have had some miserable monthly EXTRA benefit to just saying "up or out."

[Guest Darrell]

Interesting guys. Congrats Gerd

[NavyFCO]

No Paul, the other way around. He had more than his 20 minimum in. I suspect being discharged for "medical" reasons may have had some miserable monthly EXTRA benefit to just saying "up or out."

In the US military, if one is given a medical discharge or retirement, they are entitled to an extra amount of pay, or a portion of their pay that is tax-free corresponding with their level of disability leaving the service. Reading through books like the US Military Academy register, one would be surprised how many Colonels and Generals are "medically retired". It's nothing adverse - in fact, they're collecting more money in retirement than their peers!

I have to imagine that a medical retirement/discharge in the Soviet Army likewise had some special perks, and if he was a doctor himself, he was undoubtedly aware of what ailments could qualify him for medical benefits when he left the service.

Dave

[Gerd Becker]

I imagine, people like Comrade Filenius were the Doctors, who had to deal with headshots, missing parts in the face and so on...

Military Medical Personal in a war are also Heros to me. Even today its a tough job and it will probably allways be, but at that time and under that condition it really must have been hell, keeping the Soviet Casualties in mind. He must have seen a lot, i guess...

I don?t mind, that its not a combat award and i am very proud to take care of Colonel Filenius Order of the Red Banner